The Eternally Relevant message of Mahatma to the world

One hundred and fifty years ago, on October 2, 1869, an extraordinary individual called Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born at Porbandar in Gujarat. Through his path-breaking ideas and actions, he evolved into a Mahatma and left an indelible footprint on the sands of time. Today, when we solemnly recall his immeasurable contribution to our nation and humanity, on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary, we are amazed at the incredibly inexhaustible treasure he has bequeathed to the world. That he was an Indian and that we had him as our leader during the most crucial period of history, make us infinitely proud.

The inheritance he has gifted us, in fact, is a perennial fountain of inspiration. Prime Minister Narendra Modi quite rightly pointed out the other day that Gandhian principles act as a moral compass today as the world grapples with the ever-growing challenges of climate change, terrorism and corruption. Gandhiji’s abiding faith in the collective will of the people, his profound moral concern and relentless endeavour to bridge socio-economic inequalities and his faith in shared destiny bear relevance to the times we live in today.

Bapu’s doctrine of satyagraha was to emerge as a powerful instrument of political and social change, as history has indeed proved. Mahatma Gandhi had once said, “Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man.” As Indians, it is our proud privilege that the United Nations has declared October 2 as the International Day of Non-violence. The UN General Assembly resolution fittingly reaffirms “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence” and the need “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence.” Can there be a greater tribute paid by humanity to the values Mahatma Gandhi stood for?

Gandhiji’s encounter with racial discrimination in South Africa was to prove a powerful catalyst in his life-long fight for freedom of the human spirit. He stood up to resist the inhuman and abhorrent laws of apartheid in South Africa and embarked from that point on a political journey which scripted history. Bapu’s unflinching devotion to truth drove him to fighting violence and suppression with non-violence. With his deep insight into human nature, Gandhiji learnt in South Africa that violence and oppression could only be countenanced by non-violence, compassion and humanity. Writing in Young India in 1920, he had said, “There is no escape for any of us save through truth and non-violence. I know that war is wrong, is an unmitigated evil. I firmly believe that freedom won through bloodshed or fraud is no freedom”. Gandhiji’s vision and the way he used ‘ahimsa’ or ‘non-violence’ as the most potent weapon against exploitation and oppression associated with the colonial rule have left a lasting impact on several world leaders, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela and Ho Chi Minh. He was a colossus who combined in him the visionary genius of an ancient seer and the pragmatism and passion of a social activist.

As we reflect on the quality of our polity and improving our governance, it might be good to recall his conception of Swaraj and his vision of governance expressed in geometrical metaphors of a ‘square’ and a ‘circle’. Writing in the journal Harijan on January 2, 1937, he gives us his concept of Swaraj:

“Let there be no mistake about my conception of Swaraj… at one end you have political independence, at the other the economic. It has two other ends. One of them is moral and social; the corresponding end is Dharma, i.e. religion in the highest sense of the term. It includes Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, etc., but is superior to them all. Let us call this the square of Swaraj, which will be out of shape if any of its angles is untrue.” The four corners of the Swaraj square are as relevant to our contemporary context as they were when Gandhiji formulated them.

Another conception that is gaining great relevance today is the need to make development a people-centric process. Gandhiji’s vision of governance had the people as the main agents of change. For him, decentralisation was an article of faith. As he postulated, “Independence must begin at the bottom. Thus, every village will be a republic or Panchayat having full powers. Life will not be a pyramid with the apex sustained by its bottom. But it will be an oceanic circle whose centre will be the individual.” This was the Gandhian dream of inclusive, facilitative, sustainable development adopting a bottom-up approach. He compared his ideal world to Ram Rajya because it exemplifies true democracy: “Whether Rama of my imagination ever lived or not on this earth, the ancient ideal of Rama Rajya is undoubtedly one of true democracy in which the meanest citizen could be sure of swift justice without an elaborate and costly a procedure. Even the dog is described by the poet to have received justice under Rama Rajya.” Gram Swaraj was integral to this vision and Gandhiji is believed to have said that Rama Rajya is incomplete without Grama Rajya.

Gandhiji’s dream of Gram Swaraj acquires greater relevance today when our country, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is seeking to bridge the rural-urban divide by empowering villages through a sustainable and holistic growth model. This includes interventions of education, healthcare, infrastructure, hygiene and sanitation, as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi. Eradication of social evils like untouchability and promotion of communal harmony were central to Gandhian thought. For him, “Untouchability is a sin, a great crime, and if Hinduism does not destroy this serpent while there is time, it will be devoured by it.” Sanitation and hygiene were so high on his priorities that he felt sanitation was more important than even political independence. Visiting Kumbh Mela in 1915, he lamented, “To my grief, I discovered insanitation, both moral and physical…There is defilement of the mighty stream even in the name of religion.”

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, is perhaps among the greatest tributes paid in letter and spirit, to the memory of Gandhiji. Mahatma Gandhi’s emphasis on cleanliness is the mainspring of this initiative. Making it a people’s movement is in consonance with the Gandhian ideal.

When we introspect on the quality of our parliamentary democracy, Gandhiji’s words provide some illuminating guidance. Writing in Young India in 1920, he warned, “A most perfect constitution may be rendered nugatory if it is handled by selfish or ignorant councillors,” and “If the voters wake up only to register their votes every three years or more and then go off to sleep, their servants will become their masters.” For Gandhiji, character was the most important criteria for public service. He had emphatically said, “I consider it impossible for a man without character to do higher national service so that if I were a voter from among the list, I would first select men of character.” He felt that ministers should hold their offices as avenues for service.

On the conduct of the legislators, Gandhiji had laid out clearly, “It would have to be that of strictest honesty and courtesy in dealing with his opponents. He will not resort to shady politics, will not hit below the belt, will never take mean advantage of his adversary.” Mahatma Gandhi has said that the following seven deadly sins have to be avoided: Wealth without work; pleasure without conscience; knowledge without character; commerce (business) without morality (ethics); science without humanity; religion without sacrifice; and politics without principle. These are essentially the elements of the moral compass that Gandhiji presents to the entire humanity. They are touchstones of ethical behaviour so essential for a just and harmonious society.

Gandhiji believed in the power of prayer which, according to him, could cleanse the heart if one could combine it with humility. His emphasis on universal love and brotherhood and empathy with the smallest creation in the universe deserves to be highlighted in the current context of arrogance, intolerance and hatred: “To see the universal and all-pervading Spirit of Truth face to face, one must be able to love the meanest of creation as oneself. Identification with everything that lives is impossible without self-purification. Self-purification must mean purification in all walks of life.” Sharing and caring for others, the core of Indian philosophy, was the underlying philosophical basis for Gandhiji’s concept of trusteeship which he described in the following terms: “Supposing I have come by a fair amount of wealth – either by way of legacy, or by means of trade and industry – I must know that all that wealth does not belong to me; what belongs to me is the right to an honourable livelihood by millions of others. The rest of my wealth belongs to the community and must be used for the welfare of the community.”

These are but a few nuggets of wisdom from the vast ocean of priceless gems Gandhiji had given us. As our nation gains in economic strength as well as inclusive all round development making the fruits of Swaraj accessible to each and every citizen, Gandhiji’s words about Swaraj can be a useful reminder if we are moving in the right direction.

Swaraj, for Gandhiji, was “not a matter of receiving or taking.” It was one of evolution. “We either grow to it from day to day or we go away from it. If we, as a nation, are becoming more and more conscious of ourselves, of the fundamental unity of millions, then, we are certainly progressing towards it. Whereas, if we are dissolving, then we are receding from it.” Unity, harmony and progress underpin this vision. The government’s endeavours have the same overarching goal encapsulated in the “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas” approach.

As we pay reverential tribute to the Mahatma on his 150th birth anniversary, let us strive to transform our lives by internalising and implementing the Gandhian principles in our daily life. It would be also pertinent to recall the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the relevance of Mahatma Gandhi, when he said: “If humanity is to progress, Gandhi is inescapable. He lived, thought, and acted, inspired by the vision of humanity evolving toward a world of peace and harmony. We may ignore him at our own risk.”